Threats and Challenges

Gorillas are the largest of the great apes and play a vital ecological role in the forests of Central Africa. Despite their considerable economic, cultural and aesthetic value to many people worldwide, the future of gorillas is far from secure. The primary threats are habitat degradation and loss due to mining, logging and agriculture, as well as poaching and diseases, most notably Ebola. These factors are further exacerbated by conflict and poor governance in many of the remaining gorilla strongholds.